How The Gibson Les Paul Standard Became A Legend

Backbeat Books publishes Tony Bacon's Sunburst 26-Feb-14

Sunburst is the latest book in Tony Bacon's bestselling guitar series, with a thoroughly researched story partnered by a gallery of full-color pictures of great guitars, rare memorabilia, and famous Burst players – from Keith Richards to Joe Bonamassa and Jeff Beck to Billy Gibbons. Its reference section reveals production details and dating clues for this most enigmatic and revered instrument.

Tony Bacon writes in a way that draws the reader immediately into the story:"Central London, 1965, and on this typically cool and showery summer's day, Eric Clapton sits in a music shop with a guitar on his lap. It's a sunburst-finish Gibson Les Paul, and right now he's pushing up the volume enough to attract a glance or two from passing shoppers. He's settled on this secondhand Les Paul as a suitable blues guitar for his new band, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. As a bonus, it looks a bit like the one his hero Freddie King played. And now a girl in a black-and-white mini-dress walks by the shop, just as Eric lets go with a burst of bluesy notes. She turns and presses her face against the window. Inside, Eric has made up his mind. He winks at the girl in the window and looks up at the admiring shop staff. "I'll take it," he tells them. "Did you say 130 quid?" The deal is done. A guitar is reborn."

Sunburst shows how Gibson slowly came to understand and more accurately re-create the original Bursts through its reissue program, under way since the early 90s, and how Gibson's first artist model, limited editions, and collector's specials have widened the appeal of an already legendary guitar. Sunburst closes with a reference section that provides production details and identification clues for every significant model, new and old, of this most enigmatic and revered instrument.

A Backbeat Books spokesperson told us, "With Sunburst the reader really gets three books in one: a compendium of cool photographs, an absorbing tale that takes readers from the introduction of the Les Paul Standard in 1958 on to its exalted place in today's musical universe, and a useful guide to all the info a collector could ever want on the original models, reissues, artist guitars, serial numbers, and more - an absolute must-have for all Burst collectors and guitar enthusiasts."

About the authorTony Bacon writes about musical instruments, musicians, and more. He is a co-founder of Backbeat UK and Jawbone Press. Tony's books include The Ibanez Electric Guitar Book, The Ultimate Guitar Book, and History of the American Guitar. He lives in Bristol, England.